ALD Podcast: Episode 2, Fran Scott & Maia Weinstock

Welcome to the second episode of the freshly minted Ada Lovelace Day podcast, highlighting the work of women in STEM. We’ll be talking to women from around the STEM world about their careers, as well as talking to women and men, about historic and modern women’s achievements, discoveries, and inventions.

In this episode

01:11: We talk to science communicator Fran Scott about her work designing science demos for television and schools, and how to get into a TV presenting career.

22:09: We also hear from Maia Weinstock, deputy editor at MIT news, who discusses the queen of nuclear research, Chien-Shiung Wu, her crucial role in disproving the Conservation of Parity and her vital contribution to the Manhattan Project.

Our interviewees

Fran Scott is the only female science presenter on Children’s BBC. A scientist by training and an engineer at heart, Fran uses her knowledge of these subjects to explain their principles in entertaining, exciting and accurate ways often using high-impact demonstrations to prove her point. She has presented six series for Children’s BBC, five series for BBC Learning Zone, and one for BBC Worldwide, and has received numerous recognitions including a Royal Television Society award and three BAFTA nominations. Web – Twitter

You can watch Fran setting rockets off with her finger during Ada Lovelace Day Live! 2013 either on YouTube or below:

Maia Weinstock is the deputy editor at MIT News and a writer specialising in science and children’s media. She has contributed to outlets including Scientific American, BrainPOP, Discover, SPACE.com, and NOVA’s Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers. Maia is a strong advocate for girls and women; most recently, she has been recognised for her science- and law-themed LEGO minifigure creations. She has also led efforts to increase the participation and visibility of women on Wikipedia. Web — Twitter

Thanks to our sponsor

This podcast is brought to you thanks to the generous support of ARM, our exclusive semiconductor industry sponsor. You can learn more about ARM on their website at ARM.com and you can follow them on Twitter at @ARMHoldings.

If you would like to join ARM as a sponsor of the Ada Lovelace Day Podcast, please email Suw Charman-Anderson.

Get in touch!

If you’d like to send us feedback about the show, or if you’d like to take part, please email us. We’re especially interested in hear from men who would like to talk to us about the women in STEM who have influenced them, especially those women who are less well known.